Formed in 2013, Finnish power metal band EVERLORE has been releasing a number of singles since 2017, issuing their eponymous debut album on 1 June 2020. Following the classic power metal tradition of such bands as DRAGONFORCE or early RHAPSODY OF FIRE, the band has created an uplifting and fun album with “Everlore.”
Even though the songs make full use of some of the tropes of the Euro-power metal style, sounding a bit cheesy at times, they are still melodic and enjoyable enough as the band delivers them with skill and passion. The opening number, slightly folkish “Here Be Dragons,” is one such example, with pounding drums, nifty guitar lines, exuberant vocals, and all-around high-energy flowing through it. “Stranger Skies” more or less follows the same path, minus the folk vibes, thus creating a comfortable atmosphere for the listeners to be both curious and entertained. They may not have reinvented the genre, but they are surely having fun with its gimmicks. Album highlight “Fear of Tomorrow” kicks things up to a higher gear with the use of choirs (or layered vocals) in the very hooky chorus that gives the track a certain fantasy feel. “Imaginary Throne” rolls around with chugging guitars and a more serious tone to it, though it is still playful enough to be enjoyed while playing any medieval-based fantasy games.
The word that best describes this album is “consistency,” as “Innocence” and “The Poet” are songs that don’t diverge much from the beaten path, while still being quite easy on the ears and easy to sing along to with their melodic lines. “Brighter Tomorrow” and “Race for the Sun” bring a bit more bite to the guitars and have a fuller sound to them, in the veins of early BLIND GUARDIAN. The ballad (and highlight) of the album is the soulful yet moody “Bleeding Land,” which impresses the listeners with an acoustic intro, grave vocals, and an intense build-up. The chorus is memorable, as is the somber atmosphere. After the short acoustic interlude, “Foreword,” the album concludes with “The Book of My Tales,” which merges together all the best elements of EVERLORE into one epic piece of power metal extravaganza that ticks all the right boxes. Guitar duo Samu Pettersson and Juuso Virnes have done a great job grounding the albums in heavy melodies, while vocalist Joonas Kunnela managed to deliver great performances without succumbing to the typical vocal style of Euro-power metal, singing mostly in his mid-range. Keyboards can be considered part of the genre’s sound, yet EVERLORE is able to do without them and still deliver an enjoyable album.
From harmonizing guitars to wonderful solos, a groovy rhythmic section, and, of course, catchy refrains, EVERLORE has gone all-in on their self-titled debut, combining many trademark elements of their preferred style of metal into one cohesive offering. This may be a bit old-school for some, but it still has plenty of great moments.
Written by Andrea Crow
Tracklist
- Here Be Dragons
- Stranger Skies
- Fear of Tomorrow
- Imaginary Throne
- Innocence
- The Poet
- Race for the Sun
- Brighter Tomorrow
- Bleeding Land
- Foreword
- The Book of My Tales
Lineup
Joonas Kunnela – vocals
Juuso Virnes – guitar
Samu Pettersson – guitar
Ville Koskinen – bass
Petteri Milan – drums
Label
Independent release
Links
Facebook | Instagram | Spotify
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